This Day in History: May 10

On this day in 1775, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold lead a successful attack on Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York, while the Second Continental Congress assembles in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

My Next Car

Russia's biggest carmaker plans to make a high-tech version of the Soviet-era Lada car that will be named after the creator of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, the Vedomosti business daily said.

"We will probably work... to create a military jeep," said the head of arms trader Rosoboronexport, Sergei Chemezov, quoted by the paper...

Vedomosti suggested the new car could be Russia's answer to the United States' Hummer, a vehicle originally designed for army use that is now a rich city-dweller's status symbol and is increasingly popular on the streets of Moscow.

Right after I win the lottery...

Tragedy and Justice

The father of a three-year-old Detroit boy who fatally shot himself in the head has been charged with second-degree child abuse...a 4-year felony.

Tragic. If you're a moral and rational person, I don't think there's any punishment that could be meted out that would be worse than the knowledge that your actions led to such a result. I'm not saying their shouldn't be legal consequences, but just think life would be literal hell and those consequences would pale against the guilt.

I don't normally post these types of stories. A week and a half ago, a few contributors sent me a link for "The Only Ones" files: a story about the New York police official's son who killed himself with his father's negligently stored pistol. My reply as to why I didn't want to post on that incident:

Yeah, I saw this last night and decided not to do an "only ones" feature on it just because of the nature of the poor kid and the horror his parents must be going through--maybe I'm copping out, but I wouldn't wish this hell on my worst enemy, and I've accused the other side of dancing in blood at tragedies--I just can't bring myself to use this story to my advantage.

I still feel that way. The only reason I bring it up here is to note that under similar circumstances, I see a citizen facing 4-year charges, but not the cop.

State Secrets

The names of those packing heat in Florida should not be a state secret.

Boy, I wish I wasn't in a hurry to get to another 14 hour work day--these morons really deserve a good fisking, they are just so wrong on so many counts.

Example:

In other years, gun supporters have argued that the knowledge that someone had a permit to carry a concealed weapon would be a deterrent to crime. Now they have reversed themselves, contending that keeping concealed weapons permits as public records makes the gun owners vulnerable to attack or harassment.

No, the argument has always been the knowledge that someone is likely to be armed in a given situation is what has been presented as a deterrent. Knowing specifically who eliminates the uncertainty factor and identifies a target.

It's yet another reason why I think whether or not you're carrying should be a personal secret, not a state one.

We're the Only Ones Cleared Enough

The police officer said he had met Alice less than an hour earlier when he found her walking along a road. He said he gave her a lift as she appeared "agitated and drunk".

The officer said he was running out of fuel and went to a cash machine to get money to buy petrol.

He said that on returning to the car he drove a short distance when Alice shot herself with his gun, which had been lying in the car.

What, you're not supposed to leave a loaded gun next to an "agitated and drunk" teenage girl you picked up--I mean, gave a helpful ride to--off the street?

Good call by that police ombudsman, that there's no evidence this was "anything other than a tragic accident". I hope the girl's family that went to her with their dispute is satisfied with the fox's henhouse investigation.

"Gun Control" I Can Live With

The law says police officers must hand in their service weapons at the end of work, unless they have special permission to carry their guns after work. There are good reasons why this provision was included. Now it needs to be more effectively implemented.

Margy Keegan

Gun-Free South Africa

You LEOS didn't think these people who have you pose for photo ops and use feigned concern for officer safety were really your friends, did you? Disarming you except when you're serving the purposes of the state has long been in the plans.

Maybe if you're in the same boat as the rest of us...

[More on the South African anti-defense mentality]

This Day in History: May 9

On this day in 1791, Francis Hopkinson, signer of the Declaration of Independence and the first American secular composer, dies suddenly of a seizure in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Gun Blogs

SayUncle has set up a new website:

It's a completely open forum and anyone can post there...This site is intended to be open to all and welcomes posting by all. If you've ever thought about starting your own gun blog but didn't want the trouble of setting up your own site or didn't think you'd stick with it, now is your chance to try it out. And it's free.

We're the Only Ones Anticlimactic Enough

An off-duty Palm Beach County sheriff's sergeant initially told police he shot a 21-year-old man for stealing his badge and nearly running him over.

But an investigation into the 2 a.m. encounter concluded the two men were in a dispute over $40 because Ira Joe Stuckey did not complete the sex act he was paid to perform on the sergeant.

On April 21, Stuckey, 6-foot-2, 230 pounds and wearing a wig, ended up with a bullet wound in his left arm.

On Friday, Sgt. James Seigfreid, 48, ended up in jail.

Talk about blowing things all out of proportion...

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

This Day in History: May 8

On this day in 1792, Congress passes the second portion of the Militia Act, requiring that “every free able-bodied white male citizen of the respective States, resident therein, who is or shall be of age eighteen years, and under the age of forty-five years… be enrolled in the militia.”

The History Channel has an "American Revolution" category summarizing what happened on this date. Perhaps I'll begin including a link as a daily feature...

We're the Only Ones Discharged Enough

A Morris County corrections officer was being treated Friday for a hand wound suffered when his personal weapon discharged while he was cleaning it, County Sheriff Edward Rochford said.

"His...weapon discharged."

"[He] was...cleaning his personal weapon...when it discharged..."

"[T]here was one round in the chamber which apparently discharged..."

That's one hell of a willful gun...

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

Church Group Held Up by Armed Robber

A women's group from Christ Church in Kenilworth was forced to lie face down on the floor by an armed robber.

In the group was a pregnant woman who started having contractions during the robbery.

Well why didn't Reverends John Algera and Stafford Miller step in to help protect them?

Good One!

The campaign against gun violence was begun by the Rev. John Algera, pastor of the Madison Avenue Christian Reformed Church, and the Rev. Stafford Miller, pastor of the St. Philip's Ministry of the United Methodist Church, in answer to a spate of random gunfire that erupted on the city's Northside late last year....

If we want the city to prosper, first get rid of the guns.

LOL!

Gun Battle Erupts at Vancouver Rap Show

A dance-floor brawl early Saturday erupted into gunfire — leaving one man clinging to life in hospital, another suffering from a gunshot wound and pandemonium in a Vancouver venue...

The night's bill featured headliner Lord Finesse(Robert Hall Jr.) from New York, the Chillin Villain Empire from Los Angeles and local rappers Fourth World, who were celebrating the release of their new CD.

Must be the fault of all those American guns. Every time me 'n my homies get around them, stuff like this is always happening...

Bruce Willis Backs Gun Rights

Movie star Bruce Willis supports Americans in their constitutional right to carry a gun, insisting everyone should be able to defend themselves with a weapon if need be.

A statement to the media is nice. How about getting involved now in the fight to protect that right, Mr. Willis?

2nd Amendment Carnival

The 2nd Amendment Carnival will be hosted here on (or around) May 27th, another Second Amendment Saturday. I think a carnival will adequately replace one 2A Saturday a month!

Head on over to Free Constitution for more information.

Chaka Con

Singer Chaka Khan's son was acquitted of murder Friday in the shooting death of a teenager during a party at her home two years ago...

Holland testified that he never intended to kill Bailey when he poked at him with an M-16 assault rifle. The two were discussing an affair the younger man claimed to have had with Holland's girlfriend when Holland pointed the gun at his friend.

An "M-16 assault rifle"? Not an AR-15 or a variant? And in California?

Surely Bill Lockyer's office is all over this?

The trademark incompetence of the Associated Press notwithstanding, what the hell is Chaka Khan doing allowing any kind of gun in her home?

As I wrote in GUNS AND AMMO a few years back, she joined other celebrites in HCI's "Open Letter to the NRA":

"We are not 'gun haters'," they protested, and then demanded limiting handgun purchases to one a month, banning "assault weapons," magazine capacity limits, gun locks and "a 'cooling off' period. . .[that] might just save the life of a child. . ."

Congratulations, Chaka. The 17-year-old your son blew away will now be added to the "child gun death" statistics you and your fellow hypocrites use to further the cause of disarming responsible citizens.

And no doubt the idiots who served on the jury applaud such measures.

Profiles in Courage II

"People have gotten to know him here personally in Rhode Island," Lynch said. "People here respect the fact that he's courageous enough to deal with this in the public eye, which is very difficult."

Right. "Courage." What a way to spin "He got caught."

First Rep. Patrick Kennedy says he consumed no alcohol, then he says he doesn't remember anything. If he doesn't, then how does he know? And why does the hostess at the Hawk and Dove, who says she saw him drinking, not want to give her name? Kinda makes you wonder why someone from the working class would fear the men behind the man described as a hero to them.

We hear all kinds of excuses, from it's the pills to the "Kennedy Curse" to blaming it on his genes. The establishment media has him covered, ginning up sympathy by explaining how such conditions affect "millions". And now, he's wearing his admission to rehab like Teddy wore his neck brace.

Former Louisiana governor, the spectacularly corrupt (Kennedyesque?) Edwin Edwards, is reported to have said the only way he could lose his election was if he was "found in bed with a dead girl or a live boy." So of course Kennedy's government-addicted constituents will continue to back him.

But all this is to be expected. Here's the real crime, being committed right under our noses: The Capitol Police are "investigating" their own, that is, the fox is in charge of the henhouse case. We learn they "have taken disciplinary action against a watch commander for the handling of Rep. Patrick Kennedy's car accident..."

OK. Why isn't he identified? And what "disciplinary action."

As I wrote when this story broke:

Time for an independent investigation--separate [those involved] and put them under oath. Let them know prosecutions will follow lies.

Somebody gave the word to give Kennedy a pass.

Who was it, and how high up did the orders come down from?

Don't expect to see this revealed, though. Such demands will stay in the realm of obscure blogs and kept safely away from an American consciousness that mostly wouldn't care anyway.

And this degenerate, lying mental defective will emerge as a champion of those who can't control themselves, and continue his crusade to control those of us who can.

Second Amendment Saturday

It's that day again.

I'd have posted this sooner but just got in from work :(

Answers for "Blain"

Yesterday's re-visit to an old topic produced some interesting back-and-forth. But the comment that struck me as most in need of exploring is the one that isn't there. It was deleted by its author at the original post, but it still came to me via email.

Meet "Blain":

Ad hominem arguments are much easier than an intellectual debate aren't they? We all only know what we've read about the HRT. I'm willing to guess that none of you have been in the FBI nor have you had any direct relation to them. So we're forced to examine our sources and form an opinion. I for one take the word of a college educated man who chose the path of law enforcement over a white supremacist who stated "The tyrant's blood shall flow" and "Whether we live or die we will not obey you…war is upon our land."

I'm just interested in why you believe your own government would pay for an organization just to kill it's own citizens. What would be the purpose?

As for the last question, oh, I don't know...it's not like governments have ever committed genocide on unfavored segments of their populations before...but in fairness, our current government will generally settle for obedience. The killing only happens if people resist and defy.

And we all know "college educated men" have never committed acts of violence, right Professor Kaczynski? Why I'd bet every one of the feds at Waco had a college degree...

As for that comment about the "tyrants blood," wow, what kind of sicko would utter such a thought? Ditto that part about resisting to the death...

Weaver was a "separatist," Blain, not a "supremacist." There is a difference, and whether one finds it distasteful or not, it's not supposed to mean a death sentence for his wife and son. And we don't have to "take [his] word" for anything--there's that little documented matter of the $3.1 M settlement...

But it sure says a lot about you, that you prefer to believe someone who "chose the path of law enforcement," Blain. As we've seen time and again here at WarOnGuns, they are "the only ones" professional, responsible, believable...enough...

Here are a few of my sources for my opinions on the Weaver incident, Blain. When the prosecutor in the Horiuchi case rolls over after the feds put the squeeze on him with a felony rap, I start to get a tad uneasy with who I can believe...

Horiuchi Prosecutor Forges Ahead

Idaho Prosecutor Under Investigation

Confessions from Ruby Ridge

I love what this state-worshiping creature passes for "intellectual debate". If I'd posted comments this stupid, I'd delete them too.

Oops. That wasn't an "ad hominem" attack, was it?

I believe Mr. Adams would like to have a word with you, Blain. He's much more level-headed about these things than I am.